Polymerization of a higher α-olefin having 10 or more carbon atoms has been studied, and mainly the use of a Ziegler-Natta catalyst has been studied (as described, for example, in Patent Document 1, Non-patent Document 1, Non-patent Document 2 and Non-patent Document 3). It has been noted however that the higher α-olefin polymers obtained in these literatures have a low molecular weight in some cases, have a high melting point due to high regularity, and are inhomogeneous to exhibit two melting points.
Furthermore, a higher α-olefin polymer can be obtained with a homogeneous catalyst system, which is referred to as a metallocene catalyst (as described, for example, in Non-patent Document 4, Non-patent Document 5, Non-patent Document 6 and Non-patent Document 7). However, the polymer does not have a sufficiently high molecular weight, have a high melting point due to high regularity, and are inhomogeneous to exhibit two melting points, as similar to the polymer obtained with the heterogeneous catalyst.
The presence of plural melting points indicates inhomogeneity in size of crystals or the like, which may bring about tackiness.
In the case where the higher α-olefin polymer is used as a modifier mixed with other materials, they may not be mixed homogeneously to fail to provide modified properties intended.
Moreover, in the case where the higher α-olefin polymer is used as such purposes as a heat storage material, it is demanded from the standpoint of improvement in efficiency of the heat storage material that the material exhibits rapid dissipation and absorption of heat owing to rapid melting or crystallization at a particular temperature. However, the higher α-olefin polymer is difficult to undergo the aforementioned phenomenon at the particular temperature due to the inhomogeneity thereof.
A toner is constituted by plural raw materials, and wax as a toner component is ordinarily used as a releasing agent. The releasing agent has a function of facilitating release of the toner from a photoreceptor drum or a fixing device. Examples of wax used as the releasing agent include carnauba wax, an esterified reaction product thereof, low molecular weight polypropylene and the like. It is demanded that the wax is not melted at the assumed temperature of the external environment and does not impair charging of the toner, for functioning as a releasing agent and maintaining the printing quality.
Examples of the properties that is demanded for the wax include a melting point of from 50 to 80° C., a sharp melting and solidifying behavior, appropriate compatibility with the other components constituting the toner, and the like. Wax derived from natural materials, such as carnauba wax, contains various kinds of components in a mixed state and thus has such problems that it does not have a sharp melting and solidifying behavior and is not stable in quality. Furthermore, in the field of a polymerizable toner, solubility to wax is also demanded. The sharp melting and solidifying behavior referred herein means such a behavior in that 80% or more of the total peak area is contained in the range of 10° C. in total from the temperature 7° C. lower than the maximum peak temperature to the temperature 3° C. higher than the maximum peak temperature.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 7-145205    Non-patent Document 1: Polymer J., 10, 619 (1978)    Non-patent Document 2: Macromol. Chem., 190, 2683 (1989)    Non-patent Document 3: Macromol. Chem., Rapid Comm., 13, 447 (1992)    Non-patent Document 4: Macromol. Sci. Pure Appl. Chem., A35, 473 (1998)    Non-patent Document 5: J. Polym. Sci. A, 38, 233 (2000)    Non-patent Document 6: Macromol. Mater. Eng., 286, 350 (2001)    Non-patent Document 7: Macromol. Mater. Eng., 286, 480 (2001)